A prosecution witness in the alleged money laundering trial of the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has said that the transactions between January 1, 2016, and April 2023, linked to the Kogi State government in Exhibit AH1, were done before he joined Access Bank Plc.
The witness, Olomotane Egoro, also noted, during the continuation of cross-examination on Wednesday, that he was not the account officer of the account in question.
Egoro, who is the 10th witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial, admitted, when asked, that his bank did not flout any rule of the Central Bank of Nigeria by approving the cheques brought by the third defendant, Abdulsalam Hudu.
On Exhibit AP, the banker noted that the opening package of that particular account (Fazab Business Enterprise) was not before the court.
He said he could not confirm the business for which Fazab Business Enterprise was registered, though he admitted that opening a corporate account required incorporation documents.
The banker added that he would also not know why the various local government areas paid money into Exhibit AP unless stated.
The defendant’s counsel, Zakari Abbas, asked if Access Bank approved all the cheques brought by one Yakubu Abenege; he answered in the positive.
“All the withdrawals were approved by the bank,” the witness responded.
He added that the bank did not breach any of the CBN rules.
The witness’s attention was then drawn to transactions of May 6, 2022, in Exhibit AP, where narrations were stated for the inflows.
He confirmed that the inflow into the account from Okehi Local Government was for the supply of medical items.
After cross-examination, Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned the case till Thursday, March 12, for the continuation of the trial.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello, who served as governor of Kogi State from January 2016 to January 2024, on 19 counts of money laundering.
The charges allege diversion of ₦80.2 billion from the accounts of the Kogi State government and some local governments while he was in office.
Bello has denied the charges but faces related fraud charges involving the alleged diversion of ₦110 billion from the state, with which he allegedly acquired houses in choice areas of Abuja and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The case is before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
